Back to work!

Coalfire · **Posted:** Sat Aug 15, 2009 5:20 pm

O.k. think I'm going back to work. Found a place a single section mine in Mcdowell county WV, that one of my former Supers is running, He is gonna work with me between days that I have class and work for the fire dept. They have several welding and electrical projects going on and could need some extra help.

UGMiner Banks · **Posted:** Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:44 am

a one section bitty mine....how many guys are there?

Coalfire · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:45 pm

If I'm gonna guess between 30 and 50 people Banks. I think I'm gonna run down there on Wed so I might know a little more.

Doug · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 2:53 pm

Wouldn't it depend on the mining method? 30 to 50 sounds about right for a CM unit. But might be high if they are doing a drill/blast unit. Assuming there are any of those left in bitty.

Coalfire · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:15 pm

Actually, Doug if you think about it. A conventional section would require more employees per section. Drill operator, cutter operator, loader operator if they don't use scoops as haulage, scoop or shuttle car operators boltmen, electrician, section boss and some places a shot firer. Drill man, cutter man and loader man are all replaced by one Miner operator. I heard some places in eastern Ky were still shooting coal but, for the most part they have gone to the wayside.

Doug · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:52 pm

Good point,

Counter point, in a small mine, with lower production. What is to say that all of the machines would be operating a one time?

Coalfire · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:11 pm

Very true, and I'll agree with that but, the Miner still replaces several machines, so either way high or low production I guess you could get by with the same amount of man power. If one guy had to run three machines versus one I would say the amount of coal they would run wouldn't heat up a cooking stove.

Coalfire · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:11 pm

Let me tell you about my first and last day at my new mining job. First off the guy I'm supposed to work for gets shipped to another mine. The people change in a tractor trailer. They bought one jug of hand washing detergent. Go up to go into the drift mouth, 2 super ten buggies outside with parts being robbed off of them. 482 with garbage in the bucket and parts being robbed. 17 water pumps in 47 breaks or roughly 3/4 mile underground. Mantrips in crosscuts because they won't buy parts for them so they just park them. Shuttle car parked because it needs parts and they won't buy them. Get to the section and no rock dust or curtains hung. A 2005 model joy 14-15 that looks like a 1955 model. It is down because they won't buy 1500 dollars worth of Hydraulic soleinoids. Being an electrician this probably wouldn't be the best place to work at. Even at 35 an hour.

Doug · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:04 pm

Look at the bright side. You now have a source of restoration projects. Just think what may be back deep in the mine.

esaresky75 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:37 am

Sounds like they're putting themselves out of business, you have to invest money to make money.

Doug · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:48 am

Several questions:

What has changed over time at this mine. Output? Coal Price? Sales? Owners?

It appears that at some point they had money to buy equipment, but have either stopped spending or are pocketing it and letting the mine go down.

Doug · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:54 am

Coalfire wrote:

Get to the section and no rock dust or curtains hung.

If they are this blatant, what are the skipping that you didn't see? I would have to suspect roof control is just as sloppy too. And as I understand roof control is one of the largest cost to a bitty mine.

Coalfire · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:29 am

Exactly, Doug. That is why I left. Being an Electrician I knew I was going to have to sign legal documents. I also have my mine foreman papers so that also puts me in a bind.

Chris · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:16 pm

hmm, that sounds like a normal day here at an anthracite mine and thats no joke. would be nice actually to have a trailer to change in! banks works there full time so im sure he can chime in more about all the joys of constant break downs and "stuff" sitting all over the place when he gets back from god forsaken bitty country!

Mike A · **Posted:** Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:33 pm

The difference between our stuff breaking down and the stuff at the mine coalfire is talking about from what I could gather isn't from lack of maintance on our part. Most of the stuff here is three days older than dirt if not older and has been ran hard and put away wet. Where else other than a museum can you see B model Macks, Brockways, 1940's electric walking draglines, not one or two but a fleet of 1960's Wabco diesel electric haul trucks, a fleet of some of the first 992's made in daily use, old michigan and hough loaders in daily use, hear the sweet sound of Detroits all around, and well........you get the idea. If I was in coalfires shoes I would have did the same thing, and thats saying a lot coming from a junkyard dog like myself! There is a fine line between keeping old equipment going on a shoestring budget and making a hazerdous condition!

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